FIREARMS ownership is already very tightly legislated (Think again about children and guns, Letters, June 8).

Analysis by the UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), shows there is no 'proliferation' in legal guns; in fact the long-term trend in ownership is down.

People who shoot are shocked and horrified at the events in Cumbria and our thoughts are with the community, the victims and their families.

However, we should wait for enquiries to be completed before speculating about possible reform — we need to know if the licensing laws failed in this case.

Shotguns and firearms are an essential tool of the countryside. They are vital for the control of the UK's most prolific pest, pigeons, as well as foxes, rabbits and deer, none of which are bred for sporting purposes. More than half of all shooting days are spent on agricultural pest control, according to independent research.

Shoot providers spend £250million a year on conservation and shooting contributes £1.6billion annually to the economy (source: PACEC).

The police and Home Office have acknowledged in the past that starting people shooting at a young age helps to teach and improve safety.

Debbie Collins

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation

Rossett, Wrexham